A team of scientists from the U.S., Canada and Europe, including former Damon Runyon Fellow Adriana Heguy, PhD, have discovered the genetic basis for uveal melanoma, the most common form of eye cancer.
There are no known risk factors for uveal melanoma, and symptoms are rarely expressed in its early development. However, according to the University of Michigan’s Kellogg Eye Center, an enlarged tumor “can cause a variety of symptoms including light flashes, floaters, and loss of vision.” While the disease can be treated and managed when diagnosed early, it is virtually untreatable once it has metastasized.
Last month’s discovery is an important step forward, as researchers know for the first time which genetic mutations are unique to uveal melanoma. Further research will deepen this understanding and may lead to new therapeutic targets and treatments in the future.
> Read the research in the New England Journal of Medicine
> See the National Cancer Institute’s fact sheet on uveal melanoma
